A shift to a more distributed customer service workforce was underway before the pandemic. It kicked into overdrive when COVID hit and has continued for years. 

But that's just one of several technology-driven trends driving rapid changes in the customer service industry. From highly capable chatbots powered by ever-improving generative AI to next-generation grading and feedback systems for human agents, these changes empower customer service agents and teams like never before.

If you work in or run a business in the customer service space, you're already well aware of these changes but might not understand precisely how they affect your work. And if your business relies on exceptional customer service to drive new and repeat sales, now is the time to learn more about them.

1. Next-Generation Agent Grading and Feedback Systems

Though invisible to customers, organizations' quality assurance protocols play a crucial and sometimes decisive role in customer service operations. Central to these protocols are agent grading and feedback systems that enable supervisors to track and reward exceptional performers and help everyone on the team improve.

The problem is that the status quo for many such systems is subjective, uneven, and - from many agents' perspectives - unfair. Agents' negative perceptions of the quality assurance teams who are supposed to be helping them create needless internal friction that hinders performance and, if not addressed, may adversely affect the customer experience.

Next-generation agent grading and feedback systems are changing that. For example, MaestroQA's AI-powered quality assurance tool empowers customer service teams with a standardized and objective grading system and scorecard builder that gives agents a clear measure of success. Also, detailed analytics and omni-present coaching enables managers and graders to accurately measure performance, improve alignment, and deliver actionable feedback. The tool helped Hims & Hers, a digital healthcare provider, eliminate tension and improve communication between frontline agents and quality assurance staff. Customer service improved dramatically after adoption, and today Hims & Hers is among the most trusted U.S. providers for patients with mental and sexual health concerns.

2. Rapidly Improving Chatbots

Customer service chatbots lived on the fringes of the customer service landscape for years. At best, a punchline and, at worst, an active hindrance, they did little for brand trust. And organizations serious about making inroads with customers ignored them.

That changed sometime in the late 2010s - slowly, then all at once. As intent-deducing natural language processing technology and generative AI protocols advance, most customer-facing organizations are either using CS chatbots right now or planning to deploy them within 12 months.

Some such organizations are using advances in chatbot technology to shrink human CS agent workforces. But those serious about keeping their customers and teams happy see the situation for what it is: a golden opportunity to realign human teams toward truly challenging customer service issues. They're shifting away from an often harmful assembly-line approach to customer service and freeing talented agents to spend more time on tough tickets. 

Agents, meanwhile, feel less pressure to slash through queues and more freedom to tailor solutions to individual customers' needs. They're both more autonomous and, because they're not pitted against other agents in competition, more collaborative when the situation warrants. Their work environment is healthier and more productive, and their teams suffer less churn due to burnout.

3. Low-Latency Screen Capture and Sharing

Like AI chatbots, customer service teams have used screen capture and sharing technologies for years. But only recently have these tools improved to the point where they're helpful for time-sensitive applications.

This has two benefits for CS agents. First, with less lag and fewer bugs, they're more productive. Second, they're better equipped to address more complicated customer service queries while educating (rather than passively assisting) users.

These technologies will only improve with time and may soon intersect with next-generation chatbot technology to further blur the line between customer support and education. That, in turn, could spark a virtuous circle where customer service agents act more like tutors or guides than "fixers." 

4. Tech-Forward Self-Service Resources for Customers

Another emerging trend making CS agents more productive and freeing up resources for more challenging CS work is improving self-service customer support resources. 

The most forward-thinking CS departments use multimedia modules and generative AI to empower customers seeking their solutions. These elements address critical gaps in existing customer self-service offerings while reducing pressure on human agents tasked with managing problems that customers can't (or prefer not to) solve independently. The result: higher-quality output and higher job satisfaction within CS teams.

5. Remote/Hybrid Workforce Structures

For decades, customer service seemed impossible to decentralize. Practical and technological hurdles explained some of the resistance, but the reality is that many organizations were simply set in their ways. They didn't trust CS teams to operate efficiently or effectively without eyes (literally) on them.

That started to change as internet speeds and security improved in the 2000s and 2010s. The pandemic forced many holdouts to go remote or at least take the compromise step of "hybridizing" their CS teams. 

Thanks to the efforts of remote customer service workforce consultancies, this transition has gone more smoothly than feared. Customer satisfaction hasn't declined, as many naysayers predicted, and CS teams are happier overall. At this point, it's clear that what seemed like a temporary but necessary shift will continue - and probably accelerate as the technologies that support remote work improve.

What's Next for Customer Service Teams?

It's an exciting time for customer service teams and CS agents themselves. If we're being honest, it's also an uncertain one. Technology is changing at an unprecedented pace, as is the fabric of many organizations that rely on productive CS teams (and customer trust). If your business or livelihood depends on customer support, watch this space.